In digital mammography, radiological images in the shape of mammograms are recorded using an X-Ray imaging apparatus. Herein, typically, for diagnosing such images by a physician multiple images are displayed on a display unit such that the physician can compare the images with one another. For example, the physician can compare current images with images of a prior examination or can view images of a left and a right breast for the purpose of a symmetry comparison.
In contrast-enhanced digital breast tomosynthesis (CE-DBT), the radiologist reviews both dual energy (DE/iodine) and low energy (LE) volumes to perform the diagnostic analysis. In doing so, correlating LE (morphological) structures and DE (contrast uptake/function) structures between the image volumes is important for the reader/radiologist.
Currently the tools available for the review of DE and LE images in CE-DBT are side-by-side (synchronous) review of the images in each volume or toggling between the corresponding images of the 2 volumes. Consequently, reviewing both LE and DE/iodine volumes and correlating the findings therein requires multiple user actions and time. Further, a comparison of the DE and LE radiological images on a screen of a display unit requires a rather large screen because multiple images must be shown side by side on the screen. If images are shown side by side on a screen, in addition it may be hard for a physician to visually establish corresponding locations within images such that a diagnosing may be cumbersome and requires a high level of concentration of the physician.
Because comparing images arranged side by side on a screen of a display unit requires significant time and consideration by the physician to complete the review of the images, there is a need for tools that allow an easy review and diagnosis of different images while at the same time being easy to handle and intuitive to use for a physician.